[SXSW ’13 Review] Review of IFC’s Newly Acquired ‘Haunter’

I’m a huge fan of Vincenzo Natali, the man behind Cube and Splice, which is why I have high hopes for his latest genre offering.

Starring Zombieland and The Call‘s Abigail Breslin, as well as Stephen McHattie, Peter Outerbridge, Michelle Nolden and David Hewlett, Haunter premiered last night at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. In it, the ghost of a teenager who died years ago reaches out to the land of the living in order to save someone from suffering her same fate.

“It’s an interesting concept, The Others meets Groundhog Day. Some truly special stuff comes out of this early on as Natali and screenwriter Brian King nicely develop their world.”

Even with a cool concept, the film’s direction is where it falters: “I just wish it hadn’t gone in the direction it did,” Dickson states. “It starts with the makings of a modest miracle, but eventually uses up exactly as much goodwill as it earns.”